The invention concerns contact carrier for receiving electrical contact elements.
Contact carriers of this type are required in order to receive electrical contact elements, to install in a plug connector, housing or other electrical device and to electrically shield said electrical contact elements against said plug connector, housing or other electrical device. The electrical contact element is connected to a cable or a lead and is subsequently received in the contact carrier. The contact carrier ensures that the electrical contact element is completely electrically insulated with respect to the device in which said contact element is received.
It is thus possible by means of the contact carrier for the electrical contact to be reliably installed. Accordingly, contact carriers of this type comprise holding devices that render it possible to mechanically fix the contact carrier in a plug connector, housing or other device. It is thus possible for one or multiple contact carriers of this type to be received for example in a plug connector. It is not necessary for the plug connector itself to comprise an electrically insulating housing. Expediently, contact carriers for this purpose are produced from an electrically insulating material, for example a polymer.
Contact carriers that receive only one electrical contact are customary particularly in the field of high current contacts. As a result of the construction size, weight and the associated bulkiness of the contacts, it is possible to provide said contacts individually with a contact carrier and to install said contact in a plug connector, housing or other electrical device.
In order to fix a high current contact of this type in a contact carrier, hitherto usually a two-part contact carrier is used. The base body is usually configured in a cylindrical manner and is provided so as to receive the electrical contact. A closure is provided in order to ensure the electrical contact is securely held in the base body, said closure being placed on one end on an opening of the base body. The closure is screwed on or latched onto the base body depending upon the embodiment of the base body.
The company publication by the company HARTING “Industrie-Steckverbinder Han®, 02 9” (Industrial Connectors Han®, 02 9) discloses cylindrical contact carriers for receiving an electrical contact element. The contact carriers comprise a plug-in end and a connection end. The plug-in end is used for contacting a mating contact, wherein the contact element can be inserted on the connection end into the contact carrier and is held in the contact carrier by means of a holding cap. The contact cap is latched onto the cylindrical base body of the contact carrier, wherein four pairs of latching means are provided on the contact cap and the base body.
This type of contact carriers does in fact comprise a simple assembly procedure in which it is only necessary to insert the contact element into the contact carrier and to snap on the contact cap. However, in contrast, the dismantling procedure of the contact carrier is disadvantageous. It is necessary to simultaneously open multiple latching means before the contact cap can be removed from the base body. Alternatively, a special tool is required in order to remove the contact cap in a simple manner.
There are in fact also embodiments of contact carriers of this type in which the contact cap is held by means of a thread on the base body. However, in this case, the assembly procedure is accordingly more complex since it is likewise necessary to screw the cap on and it is not possible to simply latch the cap on. Moreover, at least one corresponding tool is required for the assembly and dismantling procedures.
The object of the invention is therefore to configure a contact carrier in such a manner that a contact element can be received and fixed, wherein both the assembly procedure as well as the dismantling procedure of the contact element in the contact carrier is to be rendered possible in a simple, rapid manner without auxiliary means such as a tool.